ICE Operation in West Virginia Nets 650 Arrests, Contrasts with Minnesota Tensions

A two-week Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation across West Virginia resulted in approximately 650 arrests of undocumented immigrants, officials report. The statewide sweep, conducted from January 5 to January 19, targeted individuals with criminal histories or prior deportation orders.

Federal agents worked collaboratively with local law enforcement throughout the operation, which officials are highlighting as a stark contrast to recent immigration enforcement actions in Minnesota that sparked widespread protests and confrontations with authorities.

“I think the most important thing to notice here is that West Virginia and similarly situated states have made it very, very easy for criminal illegal aliens to be picked up and processed by ICE,” West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey said in an interview.

The operation reached across the entire state, including the Eastern Panhandle region near Washington, D.C. Jefferson County Sheriff Thomas Hansen praised the federal agents’ professionalism, noting how well they interacted with local law enforcement and residents.

Among those detained were several individuals with serious criminal backgrounds, including Mexican national Enrique Vergara, convicted of assault with a weapon; Guatemalan national Isaias Santos, who had multiple violent convictions; and Julian Garza, charged with auto theft. Other arrests included individuals with domestic violence charges and child neglect convictions.

Department of Homeland Security officials told reporters they have conducted similar low-profile operations in Alabama, including enforcement actions near Birmingham that resulted in the arrest of a violent offender accused of stabbing a federal agent.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin emphasized that cooperation between federal and local authorities is key to effective enforcement. “Working together can make America safe again,” she said in a statement.

The West Virginia operation’s smooth execution stands in marked contrast to Minnesota, where ICE operations have faced significant resistance. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has characterized ICE’s activities as a “federal invasion” and publicly supported protesters opposing immigration enforcement actions.

McCuskey criticized Minnesota’s approach, suggesting that state leadership bears responsibility for the turmoil. “When you contrast that with places like Minnesota, where you have Keith Ellison — who’s obviously embroiled in a massive fraud scandal involving Somali immigrants — what you see is riots and violence,” he said.

Not all West Virginia leaders supported the operation. State Democratic Party Chair Mike Pushkin defended Minnesota officials, saying they showed “courage” by standing up to federal actions that he claimed violated due process. He referenced a Clinton-appointed judge’s order to release some detainees, including two individuals apprehended on the West Virginia Turnpike.

“In the court’s words, there wasn’t ‘a shred of evidence to justify the government’s position’ — that should be the headline. That should alarm anyone who cares about freedom or the rule of law,” Pushkin said.

The contrasting approaches to immigration enforcement highlight growing political divisions over federal immigration policy. Alabama officials, including Governor Kay Ivey and Senator Tommy Tuberville, have indicated they will continue welcoming federal immigration enforcement in their state.

Meanwhile, California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office criticized federal enforcement priorities, claiming that if authorities truly wanted to remove dangerous criminals, they would detain every person released from state prisons with immigration detainers.

DHS officials maintain that sanctuary policies ultimately harm public safety. “Sanctuary politicians who refuse to cooperate with DHS law enforcement are wasting law enforcement time, energy, and resources, while putting their own constituents in danger,” McLaughlin said, expressing hope that other states would follow West Virginia’s cooperative model.

The successful West Virginia operation comes amid heightened national debate over immigration enforcement priorities and the appropriate balance between federal and state authority in immigration matters.